Ray Wicksell

In a precedent-setting move, a three-member panel voted unanimously Friday to suspend indefinitely three U.S. athletes and a coach who participated in a series of track and field meets in South Africa last month in defiance of an international ban. The hearing, called by The Athletics Congress, the national governing body of track and field, was to have determined the fate of 16 of the athletes and coaches who participated in the tour, but 12 requested a later hearing, which the panel granted.

In a precedent-setting move, a three-member panel voted unanimously Friday to suspend indefinitely three U.S. athletes and a coach who participated in a series of track and field meets in South Africa last month in defiance of an international ban. The hearing, called by The Athletics Congress, the national governing body of track and field, was to have determined the fate of 16 of the athletes and coaches who participated in the tour, but 12 requested a later hearing, which the panel granted.

Discus thrower John Powell, a two-time Olympic bronze medal winner, was suspended for six years today by The Athletics Congress for participation in a tour of South Africa, and three other Olympians were suspended for four years each. In a hearing before TAC's National Board of Athletics Review in the office of Peter Alkalay, corporate counsel for track and field's national governing body, the four were barred from national and international competition.

The Athletics Congress, which governs track and field in the United States, suspended four more athletes Friday for participating last October in a series of unsanctioned meets in South Africa. Most severely penalized was 4-time Olympian John Powell, a discus thrower from Cupertino, Calif., who was suspended for 6 years.

Saying it wanted to send a message to the world, The Athletics Congress, which governs track and field in the United States, Wednesday suspended 12 athletes and coaches because they participated in a series of meets in South Africa. The suspensions range from 2 to 12 years.

Ingrid Kristiansen lowered her world record in the women's 10,000 meters by nearly 46 seconds Saturday with a time of 30 minutes 13.74 seconds at the Bislett Grand Prix track and field meet. It was the 46th world record at the storied Bislett Stadium since 1924 and certainly one of the most impressive. The 30-year-old Norwegian, who also owns the world's fastest women's marathon time, set the previous mark of 30:59.42 here last year. "I found my rhythm from the start," she said.

There aren't many world records that have endured since the 1970s. So any record set in the '60s falls into the dinosaur category. Two remain: the long jump of 29 feet 2 1/2 inches by Bob Beamon and the 400-meter mark of 43.86 seconds by Lee Evans. Both were set in the high altitude of the 1968 Olympic Games at Mexico City. There is some evidence, though, that Evans' revered record will be challenged in the near future.

Seven more track and field athletes, among them Tom Petranoff, former world record-holder in the javelin, were suspended indefinitely Thursday by The Athletics Congress, the sport's U.S. governing body, for their participation this fall in a series of meets in South Africa. The Athletics Congress serves as the U.S. agent of the International Amateur Athletic Federation, which does not sanction meets in South Africa because of that government's official policy of racial separation.